Iran today paraded six newly deployed medium-range missiles that military analysts say could reach Israel or US bases in the Gulf.
It was the largest number of Shahab-3 ballistic missiles put on public display since Iran announced in July that it had finished testing the weapon and deployed it to the Revolutionary Guards.
Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons or having aggressive military intentions and says the Shahab-3 is meant solely as a deterrent to the Islamic Republic's enemies.
Based on the North Korean Nodong-1 and modified with Russian technology, the Shahab-3 is thought to have a range of 1,300 kilometres.
Iran has not declared how many Shahab-3 it has been able to make. Military analysts say questions remain about its reliability and accuracy.
The United Nations nuclear watchdog earlier this month gave Iran until the end of October to dispel doubts that its stated policy of developing nuclear energy was not a cover for building atomic arms.
Iran's government blames Israel and the United States for creating doubts about its nuclear ambitions and has said it has no intention of following North Korea's example of pulling out of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.